Multiple indicators and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for comprehensive performance evaluation of exhaust hood

Indicators are the basis for judging the working performance of exhaust hood and capture performance are usually used as the only indicator. An evaluation index system including three factors of cooking oil fumes (COF) instantaneous capture, health risk impact and thermal comfort was proposed to assess the comprehensive performance of exhaust hood in the present study. The primary capture efficiency (PCE) of formaldehyde, the PCE of particulate matter with the diameter less than or equal to 2.5 mu m (PM2.5), the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of formaldehyde, the ILCR of PM2.5 and the predicted mean vote (PMV), which can all be quantified with the aid of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), were selected as the indicators. And the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method was introduced to perform the comprehensive performance evaluation of exhaust hood. The performance of two exhaust hood structures (grille and orifice type) with three exhaust rates (3000, 4000, and 5000 m(3)/h) in two cooking zones of a university canteen kitchen were evaluated. The result showed that the reduction of ILCR of COF exposure is the most important to the performance of exhaust hood. The comprehensive performance of orifice exhaust hood with exhaust rate of 4000 and 5000 m(3)/h are optimal; the orifice exhaust hood with exhaust of 3000 m(3)/h and grille exhaust hood with exhaust rate of 5000 m(3)/h are moderate; the grille exhaust hood with exhaust rate of 3000 and 4000 m(3)/h are low. Decision-making priorities based on comprehensive and individual performance are not exactly the same in the two cooking zones. It is necessary to use the index system to evaluate the comprehensive performance of exhaust hood that considers the impact on human health and thermal comfort.